Such was the pain he was suffering from injured knees that he did not commit to starting the Masters until the morning of the first round. A final 18 holes tamed in a six-under-par 66 was enough to return a 16-under total of 272 and a first prize of £266,660. Montgomerie was 10 shots adrift. But as one of Europe's most popular players contemplated driving from his Surrey home to company day exhibitions in Scotland this week and the TPC of Europe in Germany next week, he paid tribute to the support that got him through a heart-breaking weekend.
"I came with no real expectations of my game," he said. "But the crowd's fantastic support helped me through. I don't think I would have made it otherwise."
JOEY SINDELAR, ranked 222nd in the world, stormed home with a hat-trick of birdies before winning a play-off at the Wachovia Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Sindelar began his birdie rush at the 15th hole to catch the faltering Arron Oberholser at 11-under-par 277 at Quail Hollow.
He parred the second extra hole for his seventh US Tour win and first since 1990.
"I never gave up hope," he said. "It will take me a while to understand this is real."
Tiger Woods finished one shot behind Sindelar after a final round of 68. Fiji's Vijay Singh, trying to win for the third week in a row, charged into contention with an eagle at the 15th hole, but bogeyed the 17th and double-bogeyed the last.
